VOL. VII. K
14G THE DISCREET PLOUGHMAN.
' For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.' Whence, in brief, leana we thus much :
Voct. 6. Skill in hushandnj is the gift of (jod, msdom viust come from him. ' Every good gift, and every perfect gift,' says James, « is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Hghts, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning,' James i. 17. So, in other deep things, wherein we have abiUty to discourse of, know, and practise, let us give God the praise. Usually we are prone to sacrifice to our own nets, to magnify nature in our actions which we do wisely; but, know we, all is of God. If we did believe this, we would never be proud of our skill, and wit, and whatsoever gifts, but labour rather to use it to God's glory, and the good of others. Now comes
The second comjnirison.
' For the fitches are not threshed with a threshmg instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin,' &c. Hence see,
Doct. 7. All God's grain needs threshing and ijloughing ; and as they need it, so they shall have it. There is no husbandman but he sends his corn to the mill ; wheat, or barley, and all sorts of grain must be purged and winnowed, ere it be useful and serviceable unto us. And whereas he speaks of divers grains, some more useful and excellent than others, this shews that some be of more excellent degree in the church than others. But the sum is, that all the best corn hath chaff, and all shall and must be purged, which shall ever be of use to God's service, and the good of others, as Zech. xiii. 9. All God's third must be purged and passed through the fire. As the best gold and silver hath dross in it, which must be purged and refined, so the best Christians must be melted, in a manner, and tried ; but he shews they shall lose nothing by afflictions but the dross and chafi", which shall be purged out, during which trial as he brings them into the fire, so he will be with them in it, and bring them through it in safety. Again,
. It is said, ' Bread corn is bruised, because he will not ever be threshing it.' This shews,
Doct. 8. The best grain shall have the sorest trial, and hardest j)ressure. So God proportions answerable crosses to our strength, and no further. The rest have not such manner of usage. The fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, but are beaten with a staff ; neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin, but beaten with a rod ; but the wheat must have the wheel go on it. The meaning is an allusion unto that manner of the ancient Jews in treading their wheat, as appears by that precept, ' Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox or the ass that treadeth down thy corn,' Deut. xxv. 4, for then the oxen, drawing a wheel over the wheat, did so bruise it, but not break it. So the best Christians and patriarchs have been visited with sore and hard trials. Jacob, even after the blessing, how grievous crosses and afflictions endured he ! how was he tossed and tumbled up and down ! Alas, saith the prophet, speaking of a great calamity, ' it is a time of great trouble, there is none like it : it is like the time of Jacob's trouble ; yet he shall be delivered,' Jer. xxx. 7. And Abraham, the friend of God, had many, and sore afflictions. The prophets also, you know how they had all thoir several crosses in life, many in life and death. Jeremiah complains of his persecutors, which were many. Holy David, a man of sorrows all his lifetime, how was he vexed with vjiriety of crosses, one after another ! What shall I say of Job, the mirror of patience, and his many sorrows ? And the apostles, M'ere they not the
THE DISCEEET PLOUGHMAN. 147
chiefest men next unto Christ ? and yet all destinate to sore and great afflictions and trials, so that the nearer they were unto him, the greater were their afflictions.
Reason. And that because God thereby doth humble us and make us heavenly-minded, and keeps us low, for if God did not thus pat water amongst our wine, and now and then give us vinegar and wormwood to drink, we would have been proud, and lifted up above measure : as we read of Paul, he was buffeted, and had a prick in the flesh to keep him under, 2 Cor. xii. 7. For, as the main posts and beams of a house are laid forth a long time ere they be used, endure many winds, storms, and tempests, lest, being unseasoned, they should warp, bear no weight, and shrink, marring the building, so God's warriors, the main posts of his spiritual building, if not seasoned with winds and tempests of afflictions, they would grow to ease and pomp, to abound in vanity. Therefore, that they may bear weight, and not warp or shrink, but hold out, Paul, a chosen vessel, what shall be told him ? Why, this, ' I will tell him what he shall sufler for my name's sake,' saith our Lord, Acts ix. 16.